TYLER, Texas – Starting out strong from the beginning of the game the East Texas Baptist University football team dominated Texas College for their first win of the year, 56-14. Wide receiver Tyler Bates broke the ETBU record for receiving touchdowns in a game with four as the offense came together for 550 yards of total offense.

“It's always good to be in the record books but a big shout out to the offensive live as they helped us out a lot today,” says Bates. “Today was special to me because my mother passed when I was three years old and today was her birthday and every year I read her letter and I read it today and it meant a lot to me.”

Bates caught five passes for 193 yards and four touchdowns. It was the second best day in his career for receiving yards and the four touchdowns surpasses Roy Butler (10/23/12), Jason Gray (9/30/06), and Earl Morris (9/18/04) three touchdowns caught in a game. His career high is 197 yards caught last year and this is the fifth time in his career to have two or more touchdown receptions in a game.

The offense looked like the offense ETBU knew from last year finishing with 154 yards rushing and 396 yards passing. Josh Warbington threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns while Taylor Therwhanger had 135 yards passing and one touchdown. Jourdan McNeill finished with 72 yards rushing while Kendall Roberson recorded two touchdowns and 61 yards rushing. The final passing touchdown went to Xavier Gray as he finished with 78 yards receiving.

Defensively, the team played some of their best defense under head coach Joshua Eargle's tenure. They sacked the quarterback seven times, forced two fumbles, and recorded three interceptions in which one went for a touchdown. C.J. Johnson earned the defense's first touchdown of the year with a 75-yard pick six in the first quarter. Garrett Gibson led the team with nine tackles while Andre Welch gave seven tackles. Johnson, Zach Biles, and Marcus Harris all had interceptions.

“I'm really proud of our win,” says head coach Joshua Eargle. “We had our backs against the wall and we need to respond to some adversity and I'm just proud of how they responded and did that. We took the road to the opponents territory and really good game all around as a football team.”

ETBU did the majority of their scoring in the first half with 42 points scoring 21 points in each quarter. Bates caught his first of four touchdowns at the 9:16 mark in the first quarter and then at the 3:48 mark Johnson sparked the defense with a pick-6. His 75-yard touchdown interception put the score at 14-0. Just over two minutes later Warbington connected with Bates on the first play of the drive for a 75-yard touchdown throw (21-0). Warbington the found Bates again at the 11:45 mark in the second quarter from 16-yards our making it three touchdowns in all in the first half.

Texas College found the end zone with 5:05 left in the half but ETBU put 14 points up in less than four minutes for a 42-7 halftime advantage. Roberson danced in from five-yards out with 4:23 remaining and then he dashed in from 23-yards just before the half as 24 seconds read on the clock.

It was not until the third quarter was almost over that Bates broke the single game receiving touchdowns record with his fourth of the day. He landed a 38-yard catch from Warbington for a touchdown as ETBU continued the dominance, 49-7. Texas College add a score with 5:42 left to play making it 49-14. Therwhanger and Gray finished off the scoring on a 62-yard pass for a touchdown with 3:37 left in the game.

ETBU travels to Southwestern University next Saturday in Georgetown, Texas, for a non-conference game starting at 7:00 p.m.